• Assam Assembly Session passes six amendment Bills

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    Assam Assembly Session passes six amendment Bills

    Guwahati: The Assam Assembly Session on Monday passed six amendment bills. Among six, two bills were passed concerning certain changes in the state's Goods and Services Tax Act. The other bill permits the administration to raise the borrowing ceiling by 0.50 % of the GSDP.





    The Session further advanced by voice vote four different Bills associated to Agricultural Income Tax, Value Added Tax, taxation on detailed lands and electricity service. 





    Responding to a forum on the Assam Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2021, Finance Minister Ajanta Neog stated that the amendments had been made as per the GST Council meet choices. 





    Neog stated that the modifications are in series with those included in the Central GST Act. Therefore, they are required to take the measures and include them in our state Act too. This amendment is in agreement with the 'one country, one tax' system of the Centre.





    Senior Congress MLA Bharat Chandra Narah declared certain terms of the bill need to be adjusted to accommodate the requirements of Assam and other North-eastern states. 





    MLA Narah said that there used to be specific provisions for NE states as our geographic area is different from other states. Therefore, "We wish the minister will present this before the GST Council and request for appropriate concern for us," said Narah.





    The opposition party, AIUDF, further produced a related amendment. However, the suggestions were withdrawn, and the bill was passed by voice will.





    During the Assam Electricity Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2021, Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dev Purkayastha asked the government to guarantee that offline payment of power bills should not be stopped as many people do not have online services.





    The Assam Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which alters the Act of 2003 by including a unique sub-section to present an opportunity to issue e-voice with digital signs by the sellers, was also passed.





    The House additionally passed the Assam Taxation (On Specified Lands) (Amendment) Bill, 2021. It joined a new part in the Act of 1990 for applicability of the Assam VAT Act, 2003, following the Specified Lands Act for its proper management.





    It additionally has a new part for the mechanization of industry methods. It enables the Commissioner of Taxes, Assam, to issue directions with the previous consent of the government on e-filing and e-payments methods